bailiff and commonalty of Wainfleet, Lincolnshire (Waynflete, co. Lincoln) was granted an exemption from murage dated 20/3/1458.
Wording
Upon the petition of the men and tenants of the duchy of Lancaster dwelling in the king's town of Waynflete, co. Lincoln, the king has learnt that an ancient sea-port for all the friends of the realm of England formerly existed there, and this seems likely to be an easy place for landing with ships of the king's enemies, and that for lack of the coming of friendly ships and for other causes and because of the great losses falling upon the said men and tenants, the said town is almost a ruin and deserted by its inhabitants and will soon come to its final destruction, unless relieved;
{grant of a commonalty with bailiff};
and the bailiff and commonalty shall be quit of toll, 'pavvage,' pontage, quayage, terrage, murage, passage, payage, lestage, stallage, tallage, carriage, pesage, picage and scot and geld and all other such customs through all the realm of England;
{grants of three fairs and a weekly market}
…
By K. and of the said date etc. and for 2 marks paid in the hanaper.
Granted by Henry VI. (Regnal year 36). Granted at Westminster. Grant by By K. and for one mark paid in the hanaper..
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1927, Calendar of Charter Rolls 5 Henry VI - 8 Henry VIII, AD 1427-1516, with an appendix, 1215-1288 Vol. 6. (HMSO) p. 128-29
Comments
Surely William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester, and, at this time, Chancellor of England, who was born here in 1395 and took his surname from the town has a hand in this grant. The petition must exaggerate the distress of the town and seems even counterproductive.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 25/03/2009. Last updated on 19/01/2013. First published online 6/01/2013.
